Mohammed Sendi at SIFF: Charm of film festivals will never fade

In a talk titled “Why do we visit film festivals?”, the Saudi filmmaker noted that the emergence of a new medium will not mark the end of an older one, and added the appeal of film festivals will not fade even in the era of the Internet and the prevalence of advanced streaming platforms. 

At the session moderated by Chadi Zeineddine, writer, producer and director, and in the presence of a large group of youth and Junior Jurors, Sendi said: “In the post-pandemic world, people are looking for immersive and experiential events, and film festivals offer just that.” 

The unique experience of participating in a film festival cannot be replaced by a big screen at home, he added.

Sendi reminisced his experiences of watching action movies at the theatre in the company of a large audience and also the solitary experience of watching art films all alone in a cinema hall. He said: “One of the best experiences for any filmmaker is watching your film with the audience, and this is a major attraction at film festivals. Forget about critics; in the end, what matters is the audience. There is nothing more beautiful than when your film meets its audience.”

Sendi also acknowledged the opportunities gained through networking connections made during film festivals that paves the way for fruitful collaborations. Sendi has produced several award-winning films including the short film, Eye & Mermaid.  

“The main appeal of SIFF is that it makes the younger generation an intrinsic part of the festival and the whole filmmaking experience,” he noted. During the session, young audience members earnestly participated in the interaction as they discussed their filmmaking aspirations with the noted director.